Astros 6 - 4 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Kearns, Nationals enjoying visit from Astros

Jul 12, 2008 - 10:12 AM Houston (42-51) at Washington (36-58)

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Washington Nationals are one of the worst teams in baseball, but the Houston Astros seem to be bring out the best in them and right fielder Austin Kearns.

Washington is last in baseball with 336 runs, but walloped Houston, 10-0, in Friday's series opener. Ronnie Belliard homered twice and drove in five runs.

Washington has beaten Houston in 10 of the last 14 meetings, and Kearns has been a key factor. The light-hitting outfielder is batting .421 (24-for-57) with five home runs and 18 RBI in his last 17 games against Houston.

Meanwhile, the struggling Astros lost more than another game on Friday. Ace Roy Oswalt left after just one inning with a left hip abductor, the same injury that has plagued him. Houston has lost eight of 10, and it doesn't appear that help is on the way with Wandy Rodriguez (3-3, 3.23 ERA) on the mound on Saturday.

Rodriguez has not been much help lately, losing seven of his last nine starts. The lefthander allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 7-6, 17-inning loss to Atlanta on Sunday.

Washington counters with rookie Collin Balester (1-1, 5.06), who is making his third career start. Balester yielded five runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-5 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday.








  • NL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    HOUSTON 1 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 6 13 0
    WASHINGTON 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 9 2 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ, CHRIS SAMPSON (6TH), GEOFF GEARY (8TH), JOSE
    VALVERDE (9TH) AND BRAD AUSMUS
    WAS - COLLIN BALESTER, JESUS COLOME (5TH), SAUL RIVERA
    (6TH), JO

    Jul 12 9:51 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    JESUS FLORES HIT BY CHRIS SAMPSON PITCH WITH BASES LOADED
    SCORED PAUL LO DUCA.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J FLORES ON FIRST, R BELLIARD ON SECOND, A
    KEARNS ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 6
    WASHINGTON 4 BOTTOM, 6TH
    DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: W PENA (.207, 0-FOR-2)

    Astros 6, Nationals 4  Bot 6, 0 OutsJul 12 9:00 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY WILLIE HARRIS (5) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 6TH OFF WANDY RODRIGUEZ.
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 6, WASHINGTON 3
    DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: P LO DUCA (.209, 0-FOR-2)

    Astros 6, Nationals 3  Bot 6, 0 OutsJul 12 8:49 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY HUNTER PENCE SCORED LANCE BERKMAN.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, H PENCE ON FIRST, C LEE ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 6
    WASHINGTON 2 TOP, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: B AUSMUS (.218, 0-FOR-2)

    Astros 6, Nationals 2  Top 5, 0 OutsJul 12 8:26 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY LANCE BERKMAN SCORED DARIN ERSTAD AND KAZ MATSUI.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, L BERKMAN ON SECOND, 0 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 5
    WASHINGTON 2 TOP, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C LEE (.296, 1-FOR-2, RBI)

    Astros 5, Nationals 2  Top 5, 0 OutsJul 12 8:20 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY HUNTER PENCE (12) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN
    THE 4TH OFF COLLIN BALESTER SCORED MIGUEL TEJADA.
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 3, WASHINGTON 2
    DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: B AUSMUS (.220, 0-FOR-1)

    Astros 3, Nationals 2  Top 4, 0 OutsJul 12 8:03 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY JESUS FLORES SCORED RONNIE BELLIARD.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J FLORES ON FIRST, 0 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
    WASHINGTON 2 BOTTOM, 2ND
    DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: W PENA (.209, 2 HR, 10 RBI)

    Astros 1, Nationals 2  Bot 2, 0 OutsJul 12 7:42 PM


  • NL
    AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
    SACRIFICE FLY BY CRISTIAN GUZMAN SCORED WILLIE HARRIS.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
    WASHINGTON 1 BOTTOM, 1ST
    DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: A KEARNS (.208, 4 HR, 24 RBI)

    Astros 1, Nationals 1  Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 12 7:31 PM


  • NL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    HOUSTON 1 1 3 0
    WASHINGTON 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

    CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
    WAS - COLLIN BALESTER

    DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: W HARRIS (.216, 4 HR, 12 RBI)
    P LO DUCA (.213, 0 HR, 6 RBI)
    C GUZMAN (.317, 5 HR, 2

    Astros 1, Nationals 0  Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 12 7:23 PM

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